Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band at MetLife: 6 magical moments you might have missed

There were spirits in the night and magic at MetLife Stadium for Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's three show run on Wednesday, Aug. 30; Friday, Sept. 1; and Sunday, Sept. 3.

But not all the magic took place on stage at the East Rutherford venue. Here are some magical moments you might have missed:

Young fans

Leapin' lizards, Little Orphan Annie was in the general admission pit of the Wednesday, Aug. 30, show.

She was holding a sign that said “Song for Orphans,” a reference to the Springsteen song that dates back to the '70s but was released on the 2020 album, “Letter to You.”

“It's one of my favorite songs but he's not really taking on requests on this tour," said Annie, aka Cassidy Quinn of Rahway. “I didn't expect him to play it, but i just wanted to get his attention and it worked. He winked at the sign and he laughed. I got acknowledged by him and I'm really happy about that.”

More: Bruce Springsteen rocks, and gives dating advice, at MetLife Night 3: Review and setlist

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The Boss sat on the pit rail next to an out of costume Quinn during Sunday's show. The 26-year old was part of a new generation of Springsteen fans at the shows, which gave the run an extra spark of energy.

“Bruce's music does appeal to people of the younger generation,” Quinn said. “Not to get political, but he does make political statements and he does talk about the working class and I think that does appeal to people who are interested in social justice. So it's not just music of our parents' generation. It appeals to young people.”

E Streeters visit Spring-Nuts

Not all the E Street Band action took place on the MetLife stage.

Band members Garry Tallent, percussionist Anthony Almonte and trombonist Ozzie Melendez joined the fans known as the Spring-Nuts on Aug. 31 at Redd's Bar and Restaurant in Carlstadt for their annual Seaside Serenade.

Nicki Germaine, girlfriend of Tallent, signed copies of her book, “Springsteen: Liberty Hall,” and Almonte led the crowd in a chorus of the Springsteen song, “If I Were a Priest.” All four signed autographs. The event raised more than $34,000 for WHY Hunger.

“There's no one like the E Street Band, period,” said head Spring-Nut Howie Chaz. “There's just not. They're so gracious and they went above and beyond.”

Moon over the Meadowlands

There was a surprise in the sky toward the end of Wednesday's show: a Super Blue Moon rose over the Meadowlands. It was shown on the stage's video screens.

“Full moon fever over Jersey,” tweeted Nils Lofgren after the show. “It felt real good. Thanks for coming out.”

On Friday, Springsteen referenced the moon from the stage. Not only was there a “Spirit in the Night,” but there was a big moon in the sky as well.

The spectacle added to the magic.

Nils Lofgren on a bike

If you were outside the E Street Lounge about a half hour before showtime on Sunday, you saw the darnedest thing.

Nils Lofgren riding a bicycle back and forth with the big grin. He was wearing his stage clothes and he kind of looked like Paul Newman in the bicycle scene from “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” A few passes and off he went to rock the 50,000 at MetLife.

He traded his wheels for wings.

E Street Horns and the E Street Choir

The E Street Horns and the E Street Choir provided plenty of highlights at MetLife that were hard to miss.

Other times their contributions were a little more subtle, like the melodic brass lines for “Spirit in the Night,” which lent the song a swing element that agreed with the boozy Greasy Lake vibe of the track.

Jake Clemons and Eddie Manion on sax; Curt Ramm and Barry Danielian on trumpet; and Ozzie Melendez on trombone are among the best in the business, and it showed at MetLife.

The choir — Curtis King, Michelle Moore, Lisa Lowell and Ada Dyer — brought a richness and depth to the show as well. Sure, the choir on “Nightshift” stood out. Especially King, who teamed with Springsteen on the track, and stole the song with a mic moving vocal trill.

But again, their voices were stirring throughout the shows, including their background harmonies on the final verse of “The Promised Land.” It made the hair on the back of this reviewer’s neck stand up.

Not to mention that the energy and charisma of Moore of Eatontown is infectious.

'Kitty's Back'

The three performances of the Springsteen jump blues classic “Kitty's Back” were highlights of the MetLife shows. Those who saw them will be hard-pressed to experience again such a stellar example of a large rock ensemble.

That's the problem: A portion of the MetLife audience used the song for their bathroom/beer breaks. It was amazing — they got up and left before Springsteen's guitar intro to the song was finished.

Kitty didn't even leave before they were gone. When they returned, they probably regretted leaving.

The song is amazing, with spotlight turns by Roy Bittan on piano, Charles Giordano on organ, Springsteen on his Fender Esquire, and the entire E Street Horn section.

We offer one suggestion: How about a bass run by Garry Tallent in the jam? We promise we're not going anywhere.

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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Bruce Springsteen tour: 6 magical moments you missed at MetLife